Looks like cellphones will be taking flight much sooner than expected. Emirates airlines will become the first airline allowing mobile phone calls to be made during flights, through technology from Aeromobile.

The service is expected to start on one of Emirates’ Boeing 777 planes in January 2007. Call charges will be “comparable to international tariffs”, according to the airline. Cabin crew will be able to switch the system into text only mode at night, to reduce disturbance.

The news comes just months after Ryanair announced it planned to launch a similar service in mid-2007 - subject to regulatory approval. Via BBC

Looks like cellphones will be taking flight much sooner than expected. Emirates airlines will become the first airline allowing mobile phone calls to be made during flights, through technology from Aeromobile.

The service is expected to start on one of Emirates’ Boeing 777 planes in January 2007. Call charges will be “comparable to international tariffs”, according to the airline. Cabin crew will be able to switch the system into text only mode at night, to reduce disturbance.

The news comes just months after Ryanair announced it planned to launch a similar service in mid-2007 - subject to regulatory approval. Via BBC